Grasshopper in Gardens

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Grasshopper in Gardens

• Is your garden an island in a sea of
  grasshoppers?
• Scott Schell Alex Latchininsky

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Twostriped grasshopper (Melanoplus bivittatus) is
a frequent culprit.
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Twostriped grasshopper facts

• Peak hatch May 15 to June 15 (extended hatch - 30
  to 40 days)
• Eats many types of plants, prefer forbs and
  legumes
• Prolific, single egg pod holds 50 to 100 eggs
• Adults capable of flight and short migration
• Nymph to adult in 40 days (hot weather)

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You need to treat the nymphs
When they hatch they are the size of long grain
rice
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Products Available

• Organic - Nosema locustae (Semaspore, Nolo bait,
  and other brands)
• Single celled grasshopper disease organism is
  active ingredient
• Has a short shelf life when applied to wheat bran
  
• Grasshopper suppression, not control
• Treat early and often where they hatch

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Products Available

• Chemical carbaryl (Sevin), malathion, some
  pyrethroids labeled for garden
• Bait (various substrates) with carbaryl are
  effective, reduces the amount of pesticide needed
  by 90
• Twostriped grasshopper bait susceptible
• Still treat early and often where they hatch.
  Light sprinkles good coverage not piles here
  and there.

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Reversing the Research

• The Search for a Repellent

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Potential Grasshopper Repellents

• Agent Ingredient Claim(s) Effect
• Azadirachtin neem extract insects repellent
• Deer Guard bitrex deer none
• Garlic Barrier garlic extract insects/gh none
• Hot Pepper Wax capsaicin insects none
• Pinene alpha pinene insects? none
• Ropel bitrex/thymol rodent/bird none

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Use of Neem as a Grasshopper Repellent

• Insufficient data to recommend any compound as a
  reliable repellent of grasshoppers.
• Only neem has demonstrated the potential for
  repellency in laboratory trials.
• Biological activity found at 0.001, which is
  similar to rates attained with commercially
  available extracts.
• Requires repeat applications through season.